How Does Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance Save Money
If the first time you call an HVAC repair company is when your air conditioner won’t turn on, you’re spending too much money. Routine air conditioning preventive maintenance helps to keep your air conditioner running smoothly and keeps little problems from turning into big ones. Here are some of the benefits you can get from routine maintenance.
Lower Repair Bills
Preventive maintenance catches problems before they start. For example, a loose screw could cause vibrations that start to wear out the surrounding parts. By the time you notice the problem and schedule a repair, the replacement parts and labor could cost a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars. By contrast, you could have had that screw tightened for free during your routine maintenance check.
Improved Energy Efficiency
Routine preventive maintenance increases your energy efficiency in several ways. The first is through basic cleaning. You probably already know that you need to keep a clean, fresh air filter in your air handler for maximum energy efficiency. Unfortunately, this air filter doesn’t stop everything and dirt and grime can build up on the inside of your unit. Regularly cleaning out this dirt and grime improves your air flow as well as your cooling efficiency.
Second, your air conditioner works best when it’s in peak condition. Often, people don’t even realize that their air conditioner could have been performing better with maintenance because they assumed electricity prices were what made their bills go up. As its mechanical parts start to wear down, they slow down and don’t cool as well as they used to. The goal of preventive maintenance is to slow and stop this wear. In addition, the inspection can help point out when it’s time to replace parts because the replacement costs will be lower than the potential energy savings.
Not Going Without Air Conditioning on the Hottest Day of the Year
Air conditioners always seem to break on the hottest day of the year. That’s because that’s when they’re pushed to their absolute limit. When temperatures are cooler, you may not notice that your air conditioner is struggling to keep pushing out cold air. When the heat rises, your air conditioner may not be able to get the temperature down low enough. That extra stress could be the straw that broke the camel’s back, or in this case, your air conditioner.
You can contact us if you need an emergency repair, but that’s going to cost more. First, a major repair almost always costs more than minor routine maintenance. Second, emergency calls usually involve overtime and cost more than if you scheduled maintenance during a slow period.
Make Your Air Conditioner Last Longer
Air conditioner manufacturers usually say to expect a new system to last about ten years. While any mechanical system won’t last forever, manufacturers sometimes underestimate how long they’ll last to get you to buy a replacement unit sooner. With the right maintenance, you can make your air conditioner last for 15 or even 20 years.
It’s just like how you keep your car running. If you baby your car with regular oil changes and staying on top of any small maintenance issues, it will last forever. If you go too long between oil changes or ignore problems until you can’t ignore them any longer, you’ll probably need to buy a new car much sooner.
Your air conditioner is exactly the same. It has mechanical parts that wear out over time or need routine attention. Some things can be left alone, but that could be adding stress or wear on other parts. If you wait too long to get around to maintenance, you could be left having to replace more parts or find out that the repair will now cost more than just buying a new unit.
Keep Your Warranty Valid
Did you know that most air conditioner warranties require you to have routine preventive maintenance done? If you don’t, your warranty claim could be denied if you need to repair or replace your unit. You don’t need to use a certain maintenance company or send in proof of each maintenance visit on an ongoing basis. However, the warranty company may ask to see proof of preventive maintenance when you file your claim. If you can’t provide this proof, they may decide that the problem could have been avoided and refuse to pay out.
Schedule Routine Maintenance
If you’re convinced of the benefits of routine maintenance, what are you waiting for? The best time to schedule is before the summer heat waves start. Call us now to schedule an appointment.